“The reunification of Germany in 1990 was primarily due to the leadership of Helmut Kohl”. How far do you agree with this statement? Flashcards
What should be your first sentence ?
Unification in 1990 was due to a range of interrelated factors.
Finish the sentence: Whilst it is doubtless that Helmut Kohl played a crucial role in German unification
it is more difficult to assert that it was ‘primarily’ due to his leadership.
Instead of being the primary factor in reunification, what was Kohl doing?
Reacting to a number of more fundamental events taking place that contributed to German unification, such as the growing social and economic problems of the GDR and the roles of the foreign powers, particularly that of the USSR’s leader, Mikhail Gorbachev.
What early announcement from a close adviser shows that in the early stages of unification, Kohl cannot be considered the main factor and he was only ever reacting to events?
In July 1989, Kohl’s chief foreign policy advisor, Horst Teltschik, stated that the FRG’s main focus was working towards stability and peace in Europe, not seeking to alter existing borders.
What three things can you talk about with Kohl?
1) 10 point plan
2) Currency and economic unity
3) Drawing in foreign powers
How did Kohl aim to stabilise the migrant crisis?
Moving towards a confederate state then full unity within 5-10 years
Kohl advocated in his 10 point plan that Germany should be moving towards a confederate state then full unity within 5-10 years. How does this show that he was important, but limited?
Perhaps the fact that it happened so much quicker than Kohl had intended suggests that he was not truly in control of the moves to unity.
How was the 10 point plan a reaction to domestic events?
His party, the CDU, were polling very low and he believed that by announcing the plan, he could win the next election
When did Kohl make his speech to the Bundestag, what did he say in it, and what did this reverse?
28th November 1989 “regain Germany’s national unity”, reversing his previous position of wanting to maintain stability
He was the first chancellor in how long to call for reunification?
Over 20 years
What does the fact that fact that Bush and Gorbachev reacted so angrily to Kohl’s speech suggest?
That it was Kohl who had the agency to push forward with unity not foreign powers
What did Kohl react to that gave Kohl the ability in the FRG to push forward with economic integration?
The elections in the GDR on March 18th 1990
What was the result of the March 1990 elections for Kohl’s strategy with Maizière?
Within two weeks of Maizière coming to office they had set a date for economic and social unity
What was the first step of economic unity?
East Germans were allowed to convert DDM4000 into West German Marks (DM) at an exchange rate of 1:1, despite the real exchange rate being closer to 1:4
How did economic unity cause economic meltdown?
Even though the currency conversion was very generous for those in the GDR, it caused an economic meltdown because the East Germans were simply not used to paying FRG prices for goods, as well as having to pay for things that previously the exceptionally generous welfare state would have provided for.
When was economic unity to take effect?
July 1st 1990
What replaced the worthless East German mark as the currency of East Germany
?
Deutschmark
What happened to east germane wages and pensions?
they were paid in the Deutschmark on par with the East German currency
What did the FRG have to provided to cover the GRR pensions and unemployment benefits, and since when had they been doing this?
Massive loans since 1983
what else happened at the same time as economic unity?
Many other FRG laws became laws in the GDR
How did Kohl gain the support of Bush?
came round to the idea of a strong Germany in central Europe as a barrier to the spread of communism
Which two leaders opposed a new Germany in Europe?
Thatcher and Mitterrand
Give a judgement for the leadership of Kohl?
With a serious situation, the decline of the GDR and resulting migration crisis, Kohl was able to take control of a serious situation and define the way to reunification. He is therefore not the primary factor, but was reacting to more important factors.
What are the most important factors?
Foreign powers and the collapse of the GDR
What are the two bits of the collapse factor?
collapse and migration crisis
Even before the wall fell in 1989, how many East germans had left in 1987?
1.2 million
In November 1989 how many East Germans moved to the West and in January 1990 a further how many left the country?
113 000
60 000
When the wall fell, how many left East germany every day?
2000
When the wall fell 2000 people left every day. IN which two ways did this lead to unification?
This led to unification not only because of the integration that it provided but also because that it was fundamentally unsustainable to be losing so many people from the country.
By which date, how many East Germans had crossed into Austria via the Hungarian border, thanks to Hungary opening its border with Austria?
7th October, 40 000
When did Hungary open its bored with Austria?
on 2nd May 1989
By what date, how many East Germans were camped around the FRG’s embassy in Prague?
By 3rd November, 45 000
Between August and November 1989 alone, how many left the country
200 000
How many more, on to of the 200 000 who left the country between August and Novmenebr 1989, were estimated to be hoping to join them?
1.3 million
How did migration lead to the collapse of the GDR?
They were losing skilled workers which was a great loss for the economy and for the state
What did an option poll show about unity and when was this?
Late november 1989, over 70% of East Germans favoured unity again
What led to economic chaos?
Western consumer goods flooding the country
The depleting workers led to economic productivity falling by how much in East Germany’s factories?
Productivity in the GDR’s factories fell by 50% as the country was depleted of valuable workers, many of whom were skilled, young workers
What two gases did East germany have the highest concentrations of anywhere in the world, indicative of how bad their environmental situation was?
CO2 and SO2
How much greater than the European average was respiratory illness in the GDR?
Twice the European average
Compare the life expectancy of someone in the FGR compared to the GDR?
By 1989 the life expectancy of a GDR citizen was 2 1/2 years lower for men and 7 years lower for women compared to the FRG.
What were the demonstrations happening in Leipzig by which date in December?
11th December, mass demonstrations of 300 000 people took place in Leipzig with protestors carrying german flags and calling for unification
When did Kohl visit dresden?
19th December
How was Kohl received in Dresden on 19th december?
100 000 people gathering to hear him talk
What fell on which date in january 1990 confirming the collapse of the GDR?
19th January Stasi HQ
Who is the most important part of foreign powers?
Gorbachev
What did Gorbachev abandon in the 1980s, when was this and with what did he replaced it?
Brezhnev doctrine replaced with Sinatra doctrine in 1986
What did the Sinatra doctrine do?
gave soviet satellite state a degree of autonomy and sovereignty
When did Kohl meet with Gorbachev?
February 1990
Between which two dates was Kohl the leader of the FRG?
1982-1990
With the knowledge that the USSR was dependent on West German economic aid for its survival, Gorbachev declared what?
“The German People must decide for themselves which path they choose to follow”
What did Bush announced in December 1989, before the 4+2 negotiations?
USA would only support unity if they new German state was a member of NATO
For Gorbachev it was clear only a massive loan could prop up the GDR. Why was he unwilling to pursue this?
Moscow had its own economic problems
When was the 4+2 nmegoations?
March 1990
What put renewed pressure on Gorbachev?
The Success of the ‘Alliance for Germany’ in the GDR’s elections
What did the coalition government, the alliance for germany, do that combined with the economic unity in July to put pressure on Gorbachev?
The Alliance for Germany requested membership of the FRG under Article 23
What suggests that Gorbachev was perhaps forced to accept unity?
The USSR was in its own financial crisis and required foreign loans, a request rejected by both the USA and UK which meant that Gorbachev had to turn to the FRG for help.
When did Gorbachev tell Bush that he would accept Germany as a member of NATO?
May 1990
When was the treaty signed that reunified Germany?
12th september 1990
The fact that until 1990 Britain and France still believed it was possible to save the GDR through loans, despite the dramatically poor economic condition is indicative of what?
the extent to which they did not want unity
How did Mitterrand brand the Germans?
Bad germans
Jaques Delors, President of the European Commission, suggested what?
That the GDR could become a member of the EU as a second state, negating the need for unity
